Bio

If you were to ask D.J. Fluker to name the highlight of his rookie season in the NFL, most would assume it was an early season body-slam of Oakland Raiders linebacker Sio Moore that made all the highlight reels; or it was late-season upset wins on the road against Kansas City and Denver; or the season-ending win over the Chiefs that put the Chargers into the NFL playoffs, or maybe the Bolts’ playoff win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

But no, if you ask Fluker for the highlight of his rookie season, he’d tell you it was the day in mid-July when he watched via mobile phone as his mother, younger brother and two younger sisters for the first time moved into the new home that D.J. had purchased for them in their adopted hometown of Mobile, Alabama.

Fluker may have been the Chargers’ first-round pick in 2013, the two-time national champion right tackle from Alabama who started 17 games (playoffs included) for the Bolts, but that only scratches the surface of the giant young man underneath the helmet.

Fluker, the D.J. standing for Daniel Lee Jesus Fluker, was born in New Orleans and spent the majority of his childhood in the Bayou city living in the infamous Lower Ninth Ward. That was until Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005 and started Fluker’s life spinning. When the hurricane hit, the family fled to nearby Biloxi, Mississippi. When Katrina passed and they returned to the Lower Ninth Ward, all that remained of their former home was a concrete slab. With their home demolished, Fluker’s mother, Annice, scraped together what little money she could and this time the family headed to Mobile. After a rough start, including a brief period when Fluker, his mom and siblings were forced to sleep in a small green Chrysler, Fluker found a family atmosphere for the first time in his life at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School where Head Coach Steve Savarese provided a safe-haven.

As Fluker became a star defensive tackle on the football field, he worked his tail off away from it. He did odd jobs to help out Annice financially. He cut grass, he power washed houses, he built cabinets and piers, he worked in retail stores and he cleaned trailers. He also became one of the most popular and well-liked students at McGill-Toolen and people went out of their way to help the Flukers. Prior to his junior year of high school, personal issues forced Annice to move the family back to Biloxi. This time, however, the family’s temporary home - a trailer - was burned down due to kids playing with matches. Ultimately the Flukers returned to Alabama, this time settling in Foley for Fluker’s senior year. It was at Foley High School that Fluker moved from defensive tackle to offensive tackle and it opened the door for him to attend the University of Alabama.

At Alabama, Fluker became a cornerstone at right tackle and a three-time BCS champion. Fluker started 27 of 27 games at right tackle over the 2011-12 seasons at Alabama. A second-team Associated Press All-America and first-team All-Southeastern Conference pick as a junior in 2012, Fluker opted to make himself available for the 2013 NFL Draft after grading out at 98.6% on his blocking assignments. His junior year, Fluker surrendered only four sacks and he was flagged just two times as the Crimson Tide finished the season 13-1 and 7-1 in the SEC. Fluker also earned a degree in health studies in just 3 1/2 years and because of that he was invited to participate in Senior Bowl activities, which helped bolster his draft stock.

Fluker’s rookie season was a success by all accounts. He earned all-rookie honors and his teammates chose him as one of the team’s co-most inspirational players. So impressive was Fluker that late in the year he walked into Head Coach Mike McCoy’s office and asked for permission to address the team at a time when he felt like some of his teammates weren’t giving maximum effort. It was a momentum-changing experience for the whole team, which rallied around Fluker as the Bolts won their last four games of the regular season en route to the playoffs. Fluker’s play helped the Chargers tie for fourth in the NFL in fewest sacks allowed and he also played a big role in the ground game as the Chargers rushed for over 100 yards in 12 of 16 games during the regular season, including four straight and seven of eight to close out the year.

2014: Started Games 1-16 at right tackle...helped block for seasonhigh 162 yards rushing in 31-0 win over New York Jets Oct. 5...helped Bolts rush for 116 yards and pass for 313 while line allowed just one sack in 35 passing plays in 31-28 win at Oakland Oct. 12...helped pass protect for 383 yards and three touchdowns in 34-33 win at Baltimore Nov. 30, including game-winning eight-play, 80-yard, 1:44 drive that started with 2:22 left in contest...part of line that allowed just two sacks in 56 passing plays during 38-35 overtime win Dec. 20 at San Francisco...line also helped Ronnie Brown rush six straight times for 22 yards to San Francisco’s 22 on game-winning field goal drive in overtime that capped 21-point comeback, tied for greatest in franchise history, including overcoming 14-point deficit midway through fourth quarter...left Dec. 28 game at Kansas City briefly in second quarter with right leg injury but returned.

2013: All-Rookie by Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)...Chargers co-Most Inspirational Player...started Games 1-2 at right tackle...inactive Sept. 22 at Tennessee due to concussion in practice prior to game...started Games 4-9 at right tackle...Pepsi Next NFL Rookie of Week after Oct. 20 game at Jacksonville when he shifted to left tackle as injuries depleted offensive line...Bolts beat Jaguars 24-6, line didn’t allow any sacks and helped block for then-season-high 158 rush yards...started Nov. 17 at Miami, Nov. 24 at Kansas City and Dec. 1 vs. Cincinnati at left tackle...started final four regular season games and both playoff games at right tackle.

COLLEGE: SEC All-Freshman in 2010...started all 13 games at right tackle as a sophomore in 2011 as Crimson Tied ranked 31st in total offense and 16th in rushing offense...recorded 13 touchdown-resulting blocks, 97 knockdowns and 31 pancakes in ’11...finished career with 37 games played and 36 starts at right tackle...totaled 245 knockdowns and 34 touchdown-resulting blocks as starter...redshirted in 2009...played at Alabama from 2010-12...health studies degree.

PERSONAL: Born in New Orleans, La....consensus All-America offensive tackle as senior at Foley (Ala.) High School... invited to play in 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

If you were to ask D.J. Fluker to name the highlight of his rookie season in the NFL, most would assume it was an early season body-slam of Oakland Raiders linebacker Sio Moore that made all the highlight reels; or it was late-season upset wins on the road against Kansas City and Denver; or the season-ending win over the Chiefs that put the Chargers into the NFL playoffs, or maybe the Bolts’ playoff win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

But no, if you ask Fluker for the highlight of his rookie season, he’d tell you it was the day in mid-July when he watched via mobile phone as his mother, younger brother and two younger sisters for the first time moved into the new home that D.J. had purchased for them in their adopted hometown of Mobile, Alabama.

Fluker may have been the Chargers’ first-round pick in 2013, the two-time national champion right tackle from Alabama who started 17 games (playoffs included) for the Bolts, but that only scratches the surface of the giant young man underneath the helmet.

Fluker, the D.J. standing for Daniel Lee Jesus Fluker, was born in New Orleans and spent the majority of his childhood in the Bayou city living in the infamous Lower Ninth Ward. That was until Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005 and started Fluker’s life spinning. When the hurricane hit, the family fled to nearby Biloxi, Mississippi. When Katrina passed and they returned to the Lower Ninth Ward, all that remained of their former home was a concrete slab. With their home demolished, Fluker’s mother, Annice, scraped together what little money she could and this time the family headed to Mobile. After a rough start, including a brief period when Fluker, his mom and siblings were forced to sleep in a small green Chrysler, Fluker found a family atmosphere for the first time in his life at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School where Head Coach Steve Savarese provided a safe-haven.

As Fluker became a star defensive tackle on the football field, he worked his tail off away from it. He did odd jobs to help out Annice financially. He cut grass, he power washed houses, he built cabinets and piers, he worked in retail stores and he cleaned trailers. He also became one of the most popular and well-liked students at McGill-Toolen and people went out of their way to help the Flukers. Prior to his junior year of high school, personal issues forced Annice to move the family back to Biloxi. This time, however, the family’s temporary home - a trailer - was burned down due to kids playing with matches. Ultimately the Flukers returned to Alabama, this time settling in Foley for Fluker’s senior year. It was at Foley High School that Fluker moved from defensive tackle to offensive tackle and it opened the door for him to attend the University of Alabama.

At Alabama, Fluker became a cornerstone at right tackle and a three-time BCS champion. Fluker started 27 of 27 games at right tackle over the 2011-12 seasons at Alabama. A second-team Associated Press All-America and first-team All-Southeastern Conference pick as a junior in 2012, Fluker opted to make himself available for the 2013 NFL Draft after grading out at 98.6% on his blocking assignments. His junior year, Fluker surrendered only four sacks and he was flagged just two times as the Crimson Tide finished the season 13-1 and 7-1 in the SEC. Fluker also earned a degree in health studies in just 3 1/2 years and because of that he was invited to participate in Senior Bowl activities, which helped bolster his draft stock.

Fluker’s rookie season was a success by all accounts. He earned all-rookie honors and his teammates chose him as one of the team’s co-most inspirational players. So impressive was Fluker that late in the year he walked into Head Coach Mike McCoy’s office and asked for permission to address the team at a time when he felt like some of his teammates weren’t giving maximum effort. It was a momentum-changing experience for the whole team, which rallied around Fluker as the Bolts won their last four games of the regular season en route to the playoffs. Fluker’s play helped the Chargers tie for fourth in the NFL in fewest sacks allowed and he also played a big role in the ground game as the Chargers rushed for over 100 yards in 12 of 16 games during the regular season, including four straight and seven of eight to close out the year.

2014: Started Games 1-16 at right tackle...helped block for seasonhigh 162 yards rushing in 31-0 win over New York Jets Oct. 5...helped Bolts rush for 116 yards and pass for 313 while line allowed just one sack in 35 passing plays in 31-28 win at Oakland Oct. 12...helped pass protect for 383 yards and three touchdowns in 34-33 win at Baltimore Nov. 30, including game-winning eight-play, 80-yard, 1:44 drive that started with 2:22 left in contest...part of line that allowed just two sacks in 56 passing plays during 38-35 overtime win Dec. 20 at San Francisco...line also helped Ronnie Brown rush six straight times for 22 yards to San Francisco’s 22 on game-winning field goal drive in overtime that capped 21-point comeback, tied for greatest in franchise history, including overcoming 14-point deficit midway through fourth quarter...left Dec. 28 game at Kansas City briefly in second quarter with right leg injury but returned.

2013: All-Rookie by Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)...Chargers co-Most Inspirational Player...started Games 1-2 at right tackle...inactive Sept. 22 at Tennessee due to concussion in practice prior to game...started Games 4-9 at right tackle...Pepsi Next NFL Rookie of Week after Oct. 20 game at Jacksonville when he shifted to left tackle as injuries depleted offensive line...Bolts beat Jaguars 24-6, line didn’t allow any sacks and helped block for then-season-high 158 rush yards...started Nov. 17 at Miami, Nov. 24 at Kansas City and Dec. 1 vs. Cincinnati at left tackle...started final four regular season games and both playoff games at right tackle.

COLLEGE: SEC All-Freshman in 2010...started all 13 games at right tackle as a sophomore in 2011 as Crimson Tied ranked 31st in total offense and 16th in rushing offense...recorded 13 touchdown-resulting blocks, 97 knockdowns and 31 pancakes in ’11...finished career with 37 games played and 36 starts at right tackle...totaled 245 knockdowns and 34 touchdown-resulting blocks as starter...redshirted in 2009...played at Alabama from 2010-12...health studies degree.

PERSONAL: Born in New Orleans, La....consensus All-America offensive tackle as senior at Foley (Ala.) High School... invited to play in 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.